A Second Chance
by FeatherAura12
Summary: The back hall scene from Granny's Diner in 3x19. Robin and Regina fluff, basically.


After Marian died, Robin had thought he would never kiss anyone ever again. And if you had told him that not only he would, but that it would be the Evil Queen whom he so despised, he would have laughed himself to death! Yet here he was, in the back hall of Granny's Diner, his lips pressed against Regina's. He pulled away briefly, then kissed her again, unable to keep from smiling at how happy this made him, how utterly _right_ it felt.

Regina paused, then backed her face away from his. That was alright with him. His gaze roamed over her face, memorizing every inch of beauty. Especially those eyes. Those big, beautiful brown eyes that he could get lost in without a stitch of trouble. He was well on his way there when the owner of said eyes cocked her head and asked, "What do you see in me?"

He was momentarily taken aback, but the answer came right to him.

"Hopefully the same thing you see in me. A second chance. And you're quite a good kisser." He added, wrinkling his nose at her impishly. They both grinned broadly, and she replied just as mischievously, "Just wait till I actually have my heart back." She flicked her eyebrows at him, and his skipped a beat.

"What is that like?" He queried curiously, meaning her heart. "I mean, can you-"

"Feel?" she finished for him, and he nodded. She bobbed her head as well and continued, "Yes, I can. Just not fully...it's- difficult to explain." Robin could hear the bitterness creeping back into the edges of her voice, so he conceded, "Then don't." He took her hand and laid it on his chest, right where his heart was beating. "Use mine for the both of us."

She smiled amazedly at him, cupped his face in her hands, and pressed her lips to his again. He took her waist and pulled her against him, every inch of contact making him feel that much more centered, that much more alive. She shifted one hand from his face to his arm, and he dimly heard a door open and close. He didn't think anything of it until someone cleared their throat right behind Regina. She jumped away from him like a startled rabbit, and he saw her son standing there with a polite smile on his face.

"Henry." she said his name awkwardly, and Robin pinched his lips together, trying not to smile. She tucked her hair behind her ear in a nervous gesture and added, "Good morning."

"Morning." the boy echoes in the same, slightly uncomfortable tone that Regina used. "E...excuse me. Madame Mayor." Robin gave him a tight smile as he walked by, then looked back to Regina. She was staring after Henry, her son that didn't remember who she was, with her mouth hanging open and her pain written all across her face.

"Are you alright?" The question was just a formality. Anyone with eyes and a brain could see that she wasn't.

"No, I'm not alright." Her answer was barely more than a whisper, and he could hear the imminent tears in her voice. When she met his gaze, he could see them pooling, poised to fall. She paused before saying, "But they're waiting for me. I should go." As she turned to leave, Robin's heart broke for her. How much sorrow and grief did someone have to endure in one lifetime to be able to take it and accept it so thoroughly? She seemed if not okay with it than at the very least resigned to feeling that way. This was Regina's true dark side, not the anger and obsession with vengeance that she showed everyone else when she'd been hurt. All that sprung from a heart that couldn't handle the knife that was being stabbed into it. He couldn't let her go, not like this.

"Wait." he said, grabbing her arm and stopping her. He stepped forward until he was against, her and held her head while he kissed her. She needed to know that someone knew and loved her for who she was while Henry wasn't able to.

She broke away and leaned her forehead to his, all the sadness and lost looks replaced with gratitude and shining love. Skimming his thumb over her cheek, he looked right into her eyes, and finished, "Good luck." He continued to stare at her for a few moments, just to let her know that he could see her, gave her another kiss for good measure, and held her hand as she went into the room beaming like a teenager in love.


End file.
